Buyer beware! Rampant car detailing scams wipe wallets clean, leaves cars dirty

Recently, Sin Chew Daily ran an exposé on unscrupulous car detailers that have been scamming Malaysian motorists. 

These scammers pose as full-fledged detailers, offering car wash and other high-end detailing services such as coating and waxing at unbeatable prices.

Too good to be true? Definitely, as the only thing these syndicated ‘detailers’ do is wipe unsuspecting buyers’ wallet clean. 

How do they operate?

These scammers know the part - they start by taking over long-operating, legitimate detailers to capitalise on their customer base. Once they’ve moved in, they set their trap by selling membership packages. Some even get VIP status, promising free services across a set period of time.

Imagine paying only RM 2,000 for an annual package and getting full-range detailing services worth around RM 200 for free anytime you want to. At one glance, it definitely does seem like the deal of a lifetime, and that's how they trap unwary buyers.

Once they’ve collected these ‘annual fees’ from a number of people, these fake car detailing operators close up shop without prior notice and runs away with the money.

Lots of victims have come forward to share their stories. One said that they’ve paid more than RM 2,000 and only got two car washes out of it before the shop disappeared. Some never even got to try - a shop shuttered barely a week after the victim coughed up the cash. 

Best proceed with caution

Not only that, further investigations revealed that the scammers also did not pay their monthly rents, adding yet another dishonest element in their web of lies. 

The key takeaway from this story is to always be wary of services that insist on expensive memberships right off the bat. That said, there are honest businesses around but like all things involving money, it's best to do your due diligence.